Inbound email flows overview

AI-generated summary

Genesys Cloud's Architect platform provides comprehensive email routing and interaction management capabilities through permission-based systems that automate message distribution based on sender identity, intent, and previous agent handling. The platform supports queue-based routing that evaluates agent skills, language proficiency, and utilization levels, with technical constraints including a 30-flow limit for in-queue interactions and a 72-hour maximum wait time for inbound emails. Core capabilities include secure data handling with encryption, extensive CRM and system-of-record integrations, skill-based routing, dynamic prompt selection, and granular reporting via Flow Milestones and Flow Outcomes tracking. Inbound email flows are created in Architect and configured through Genesys Cloud Admin to direct messages to specified queues, with the system attempting to route replies to the last handling agent or to the next available agent based on utilization metrics. Configuration features encompass creating and managing inbound email flows, configuring schedule-based and emergency routing, storing data in tables, and managing variables and expressions for sophisticated calculations. Email-specific capabilities include AI-powered intent detection, email header retrieval in JSON format, and automated reply functionality. Additional workflow automation includes common module flows for logic reuse, Customer Secured Data operations, Data actions for customer information retrieval, external contact management, and dynamic resource management through Find actions. Process control features support logical decision branching through Decision and Switch actions, schedule-based routing via Evaluate Schedule functions, state management with inter-state jumping, and loop functionality for iterative processing. System limitations include the absence of failure/success paths, language settings, in-queue handling, audio controls such as DTMF or text-to-speech, and routing constraints when the target queue is the current queue. Setup requires specific permissions including Architect Flow Add/Edit/View, Routing Message Manage, and Routing Queue Add/Delete/Join/View. Genesys Cloud routes inbound email interactions through ACD using the same routing methods as calls, considering skills, language, priority, and agent utilization. Agents must be on queue and not fully utilized on email interactions to receive routing; if unavailable, the system routes to the next available agent. Data management features encompass calling data actions to retrieve customer information, executing decision tables, creating and managing conversation attributes, performing data table lookups, detecting intents during email interactions, retrieving email headers, and setting external tags to associate interactions with CRM or system of records. The platform provides comprehensive action capabilities for building sophisticated workflows, including data sourcing actions for skill-based routing, lookup functions that dynamically reference system resources at runtime, Flow Milestones for granular journey reporting, and screen pop configuration with predefined scripts. Control flow logic includes Decision and Switch actions for conditional branching, schedule-based routing through Evaluate Schedule functions, Loop constructs for iterative processing, and state management enabling logical task grouping. The system also includes a Wait function that pauses email processes for specified durations or until designated times, enabling workflow control within email automation sequences. Setup requires specific permissions assigned by organization administrators based on flow design tasks and job functions, with comprehensive documentation and community support resources available for implementation guidance.

PrerequisitesClick to expand

Administrators and contact center managers can use advanced routing capabilities in Architect for email messages. This method routes and delivers incoming email messages to the right queue based on a better understanding of the customer and intent.

To set up email messaging, create an inbound email flow in Architect and then select the flow in Genesys Cloud > Admin > Contact Center > Email. Set the configuration to direct incoming email messages to route through the flow to a specified queue. Depending on your design, you can configure an inbound email flow to route email messages to a specific queue based on who sent the message.

Note: Genesys Cloud attempts to route email message replies to the last agent who handled the message. The agent must be on queue and not fully utilized on email interactions or the utilization labels that the email interactions might have. If the agent is not available, Genesys Cloud routes the interaction to the next available agent. For more information about how to determine agent utilization, see .

Unlike call flows, inbound email messages do not have failure or success paths. In the event of an error, you can configure an action’s path, for example, adding a Disconnect action or transferring to a specific queue. Inbound email flows do not include language settings, in-queue handling, or audio controls such as DTMF or text-to-speech.

Note: For email and message flows, Architect limits the number of in-queue flows that open for a particular email or message interaction to 30. This limitation prevents the interaction size from increasing due to the launch of a new flow each time a Transfer to ACD action runs. The problem can occur when the target queue is the current queue.

To familiarize yourself with inbound message flows, review the following pages:

Inbound email flow configuration and setupClick to expand

Page	Description
About routing	Use routing features to create schedules, configure call and message routing, plan for emergencies, and store data locally in data tables for use in Architect.
ACD email routing overview	Genesys Cloud routes incoming email messages through ACD just like it routes calls and emails, using the same routing and evaluation methods and considering skills, language, priority, and agent utilization.
Add an inbound email flow	Create and configure an inbound email flow in Architect.
Manage data resources in the flow	In addition to editing variables and viewing usage, you can add and filter variables for inbound message flows.
Set default event handling behavior	Determines how Architect behaves if there is an error in the inbound message flow.
Expression help feature	Learn how to access the built-in expression resource to assist when creating inbound message task expressions.
Work with expressions	Use expressions to create sophisticated and complex flow calculations by selecting variables and operators.
Generate AI-powered intents based on description for an inbound email flow	Generate AI-powered intents based on the intent description for inbound email flows.
Architect built-in variables	See the list of Architect read-only, built-in variables for inbound message flows.
Manage a variable	Edit a variable’s values.
Work in the Edit Message Body dialog box	Create complex expressions that route to the message recipient.
Set up a message sequence with the String Builder	Create a more complex ordered sequence of message elements that route to a message recipient. Use any combination of data, expressions, prompts, and text elements.
Manage a message sequence	Manage an ordered sequence of message elements that the system plays back to the caller. Arrange the order of elements, add or delete elements, and edit an element’s configuration.
Enable an alternate message sequence language	Configure and order the message sequence for other configured languages.
Disable an alternate message sequence	Reset the message sequence to the default language, or cancel an alternate message sequence.
About Architect	Find more information on flows, including configuring default settings; managing flows; dependency searches; flow design resources; and tips, best practices, and troubleshooting.
Architect permissions overview	Review Architect permissions, which are based on flow design tasks or job functions. An administrator from the Genesys Cloud organization must assign the appropriate permissions to an Architect user.

Inbound email flow actions and tasksClick to expand

Note: The maximum estimated wait time for inbound email flows is 72 hours.

Category	Action	Description
Common	Call Common Module	Reuse previously created logic stored in a common module flow.
Customer Secured Data	Get Secured Data	Set a secured data attribute that you retrieve from an interaction or workflow participant.
	Set Secured Data	Set a secured data attribute value on a call participant.
	Decrypt Data	Decrypt data in Architect flows by using your own encryption key.
	Encrypt Data	Encrypt data in Architect flows by using your own encryption key.
Data	Call Data	Retrieve information about a customer from default or custom data actions integration in Genesys Cloud.
	Call Decision Table	Execute a rule-based decision table configured previously by an administrator in Genesys Cloud.
	Create Conversation Attribute action	Use the Create Conversation Attribute action to add custom data to a conversation, based on a schema that an administrator previously created in Genesys Cloud.
	Data Table Lookup	Retrieve data stored in a Genesys Cloud data table.
	Get Conversation Attribute action	Use the Get Conversation Attribute action to retrieve an existing conversation attribute record.
	Get Conversation Attributes action	Use the Get Conversation Attributes action to retrieve multiple existing conversation attribute records.
	Detect Intent	Detect and handle specific intents during an inbound email interaction.
	Get Email Headers action	Retrieve the email headers in a variable of the JSON data type.
	Get Response	Use with the Send Auto Reply action to send an automated reply to a customer.
	Get Participant Data	Set up an attribute to retrieve from a call participant.
	Set External Tag	Associate interactions in Genesys Cloud with records in your organization’s customer relationship management (CRM) system or system of records (SOR).
	Set Participant Data	Set an attribute value on a call participant.
	Update Conversation Attribute action	Use the Update Conversation Attribute action to update an existing conversation attribute record.
	Update Data	Assign values to flow or task level variables.
Disconnect	Disconnect	Provide callers with a graceful way to exit a menu system by disconnects the call immediately.
Email	Send Auto Reply	Send an email reply to a customer based on the inbound email interaction’s attributes.
External Contacts	Get External Contact	Retrieve information about an existing external contact.
	Get External Organization	Use the Get External Organization action to find a specific organization, or with the Get External Contact action to find a specific person.
	Promote External Contact action	Promote an ephemeral or identified contact to a curated (external) contact.
	Update External Contact action	Update an existing external contact record during a conversation.
	Search External Contacts	Find one or more external contacts based on your search terms.
Find	Find Division	Find a division using its name.
	Find Divisions	Find one or more divisions using their names.
	Find Emergency Group	Dynamically find an emergency group based on its name at IVR runtime. For more information, see Emergencies.
	Find Language Skill	Use this action to source language skill data from a data dip such as a Call Data action or a data table. Then, use that information with a Transfer to ACD action that sends the interaction to the appropriate queue.
	Find Queue	Find a queue based on its string name at IVR runtime. Use this action to source data from a data action or data lookup tables.
	Find Queue by ID	Reference a queue dynamically and find that queue based on an ID at IVR runtime.
	Find Schedule	Dynamically find a schedule based on its name at IVR runtime. For more information about schedule creation in Genesys Cloud, see Schedules.
	Find Schedule Group	Dynamically find a schedule group based on its name at IVR runtime. For more information, see Schedule Groups.
	Find Skill	Find an ACD skill based on its string name at IVR runtime. Use this action to source skill data from a data dip such as a Call Data action or a data table. Then, use that information with a Transfer to ACD action that sends the interaction to the appropriate queue.
	Find System Prompt	Look up Architect system prompts by name and determine which prompts to play dynamically at runtime.
	Find User	Search for a Genesys Cloud user based on an email address at IVR runtime.
	Find User by ID	Reference a user dynamically and find that user based on a string name at IVR runtime.
	Find Users by ID	Reference Genesys Cloud users dynamically and find them based on a string at IVR runtime.
	Find User Prompt	Look up Architect user prompts by name and determine which prompts to play dynamically at runtime.
	Find Utilization Label	Dynamically find a utilization label based on its name at IVR runtime.
Flow	Add Flow Milestone	Add a flow milestone to generate more granular reporting for flow outcomes. Access to flow milestones helps build reporting around the customer journey.
	Clear Utilization Label	Remove a utilization label from an interaction.
	Initialize Flow Outcome	Select a flow outcome that Architect begins to track in the flow.
	Set Flow Outcome	Define a potential outcome that the system tracks as success or failure when an interaction reaches a certain point in the flow.
	Set Screen Pop	Select a predefined script and, if necessary, configure the input variables that store the selection made by the user at runtime.
	Set Utilization Label	Dynamically apply a utilization label to an interaction.
	Set Language	Allow callers to select the desired language in which to hear prompts.
	Set Wrapup Code	Allow agents to select the appropriate in which to assign to the call.
Logical	Decision	Direct the process branch, depending on whether or not a condition is true.
	Switch	This action is similar to a Decision action, and is easy to set up when multiple cases must be evaluated. Configure a switch action to specify what has to be done by Architect, when, and under which circumstances.
	Evaluate Schedule	Use this action with the Evaluate Schedule Group action to make routing decisions based on previously defined schedules and schedule groups.
	Evaluate Schedule Group	Use this action with the Evaluate Schedule action to make routing decisions based on previously defined schedules and schedule groups.
Loop	Loop	Direct your to process repeat a series of actions before it goes on to the next action in your design.
	Next Loop	Use the Next Loop action when, during the loop iteration, the flow encounters a false outcome and you want it to continue to the next iteration.
	Exit Loop	Use the Exit Loop action inside of a Loop action to terminate the current loop iteration, leave the loop action, and continue the flow execution by moving to the following action.
State	State	Use a state to group tasks together into logical units.
State	Change State	Jump the process directly to the beginning of a different state without any intervening steps.
Task	Call Task	Call another task.
	End Task	End a task in a process.
	Task	Build complex IVR options; for example, to group related steps of a process together to create a flow routine.
Transfer	Transfer to ACD	Use the Transfer to ACD action to transfer a caller into a queuing system.
Wait	Wait	Pause the email process for a duration or until a time that you specify.